What If...? #23
In *What If...? #23*, writer Kurt Busiek imagines a world where the All-New, All-Different X-Men never came to be, leaving the original team to face the challenges that would later define the new era. With Rodney Ramos' dynamic art and Doug Hazlewood’s inks bringing the emotional weight to every panel, this alternate reality sees Cyclops and Nightcrawler confront cosmic threats in ways that reshape the mutant legacy—culminating in a shocking twist during a mission to stop the Phoenix force, where the true enemy is far more personal than anyone expected. The cover by Ramos and McLeod captures the haunting intensity of the moment, making this a must-read for fans of the X-Men’s deeper mythos.
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The original X-Men beat Krakoa, and the new team is never formed. The old X-Men tackle all of the problems that faced the new X-Men but do a much better job. When Lilandra teleports the X-Men into space to take on the Phoenix force, Cyclops volunteers to give his life but it ends up being an old foe and lackey of Eric the Red, and Nightcrawler faces the Phoenix and saves the day (and the universe).
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).